Context & Framework

In the programming period 2014-2020, closer scrutiny is being placed on where and how well public money is spent in all EU policy areas. Increasingly, the European Commission, policy makers, programme authorities, and the general public, want to know the results of public spending in addressing the EU and national/regional rural development objectives and priorities.

In an effort to check if the implementation of rural development policy is progressing well and to show its achievements, the new system foresees reporting at Rural Development Programme (RDP) level in sequential steps, which are closely interwoven with and feed into the reporting on the CAP and ESI Funds.

Standard annual reporting begins in 2016 for RDPs, and continue each year, providing information on programme implementation, the progress in evaluation activities, as well as any other issues affecting RDP performance. In 2017 and 2019, the managing authorities submit enhanced Annual Implementation Reports (AIRs), which contain evaluation findings, such as the quantification of programme achievements, answers to evaluation questions and (in 2019) the progress towards EU 2020 Strategy objectives.

These reports serve as an intrinsic information source for relevant stakeholders, as well as for the European Commission, the European Parliament, the Council, and the European Court of Auditors, to achieve a result-oriented approach to future policy decision-making.